Tag: Philadelphia Eagles

Driven largely by big viewership gains on the NFC side of the bracket, the NFL continued its strong TV ratings momentum throughout the first weekend of the playoffs.

The league reported, citing Nielsen data, that the opening round of the playoffs collectively averaged 28.4 million viewers, which represents a 12 percent jump from last year. In fact, each game individually was an improvement over last season’s corresponding time slot.

The biggest year-over-year jump was Fox’s late-Saturday game that saw the Dallas Cowboys outlast the Seattle Seahawks, which drew 29.4 million viewers, a leap of 29 percent over that same timeslot in January 2018 (which NBC aired).

NBC, meanwhile, had its biggest audience for a wild-card round game in at least 30 years with the Philadelphia Eagles-Chicago Bears thriller, which saw the defending champions move on after Bears kicker Cody Parker clanked a field goal off the uprights (twice) in the game’s final seconds. That game, which led directly into the Golden Globes, averaged 35.9 million viewers for a 15 percent increase from Fox’s coverage of that late-Sunday window a year ago.

The early-Sunday game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens averaged 25.4 million, according to the NFL — CBS is in the middle of a contract dispute with Nielsen. That was virtually flat with CBS’ early-Sunday coverage a year ago (25.3 million). ESPN and ABC kicked off the playoffs with the Indianapolis Colts eliminating the Houston Texans in front of 22.8 million viewers on Saturday afternoon, a 3 percent improvement from the network’s game last year.

Former USC and National Football League star Tim Rossovich, who built a post-athletic acting career in various roles, has died after a long illness, according to USC News. He was 72 and passed Thursday in Sacramento.
Rossovich was an All-American and c…

America’s team clipped the high hopes of the current Super Bowl champions on Sunday Night Football, but the weekly NFL game delivered a mixed result for the league and NBC.
In a season-saving Week 10 victory, the Dallas Cowboys beat the inconsistent Ph…

With football season officially underway, NFL fans are flocking to their connected TVs, mobile phones, desktops and laptops waiting for their favorite team to take the field. Tonight’s game is a face-off between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. PT at the Lincoln Financial Field Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

However, not everyone has the cash to put down $50+ on a satellite subscription to watch the game. But with more consumers now turning to connected TVs and mobile devices for their daily dose of entertainment, the National Football League has made it easier for cord-cutters and cord-nevers to get their football fix without emptying out their piggy bank.

While fans can watch this upcoming “Sunday Night Football” game on the NFL network available on streaming platforms like FuboTV, DirecTV Now, PS Vue and Sling TV — they all charge a monthly subscription fee. The cheapest of these services is Sling TV, which includes the NFL Network in its “Blue” package for $25 per month. Of course, consumers can get around paying the monthly service fee by taking advantage of the free trial period that most of these platforms offer.

But if $25 per month doesn’t fit into your budget or canceling the service after its trial period is too much of a hassle, there is another way to watch the game without spending a dime — as long as you own a smartphone.

Anyone with a smartphone can download the NFL, Yahoo Sports, AOL or Tumblr mobile apps and enjoy tonight’s game at no cost. The same goes for all in market games including regular season and playoff games, and even the Super Bowl. The NFL announced the news in February.

With football season underway, NFL fans are flocking to their TV sets, mobile phones, connected TVs, desktops and laptops waiting for their favorite team to take the field. Tonight’s “Thursday Night Football” game is a face-off between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. PT at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

But not everyone has the cash to put down $50+ on a satellite subscription or a ticket to the game. However, with more consumers now turning to connected TVs and mobile devices for their daily dose of entertainment, the National Football League has made it easier for cord-cutters and cord-nevers to get their football fix without emptying out their piggy bank.

While fans can watch this upcoming “Thursday Night Football” game on the NFL Network available on streaming platforms like FuboTV, DirecTV Now, PS Vue, and Sling TV — they all charge a monthly subscription fee. The cheapest of these services is Sling TV, which includes the NFL Network in its “Blue” package for $25 per month. Of course, consumers can get around paying the monthly service fee by taking advantage of the free trial period that most of these platforms offer.

But if $25 per month is still too much or canceling the service after its trial period is too big of a hassle, there is another way to watch the game without spending a dime.

Anyone with a smartphone can download the NFL, Yahoo Sports, AOL or Tumblr mobile apps and enjoy the upcoming “Thursday Night Football” game at no cost. The same goes for all regular season and playoff games, and even the Super Bowl. The NFL announced the news in February.

NBC fumbled in Nielsen ratings last night, taking a hit in early numbers for the NFL Kickoff Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons — which saw significant delays due to “severe” weather — compared to last year’s season opener.

The 2018 NFL Kickoff Game (which ended after midnight ET) slipped 8 percent versus 2017’s version, putting up a 13.4 rating/25 share. Last year’s — a showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots — was already down 12 percentage points when compared with its own predecessor, landing a 14.6 rating/25 share.

It should be noted Thursday’s showdown between the Falcons and last year’s Super Bowl champs was plagued with delays, as the teams were set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET, but moments before the game was set to kickoff, the field was cleared due to bad weather.

Fans in the stands were asked to leave their seats and take shelter in the stadium concourses because of a thunderstorm in the area.

A tweet from the official Eagles account warned fans in the stadium that “the National Weather Service is forecasting that our current weather pattern may contain some severe conditions, including lighting and gusty winds.”

The game was first pushed back by half an hour, to 8:55 p.m. ET. Then it was hit with another 10-minute delay and scheduled to kick off at 9:05 p.m.

The Heavens did not seem well disposed to the official beginning of the NFL season last night as rain and possible lightening in the City of Brotherly Love pushed back the start of the Philadelphia Eagles gridiron battle against the Atlanta Falcons.
Wi…

It’s opening night for the 99th season of the National Football League. On tap: a big game, a national network (NBC) airing the battle, superstars on both sides of the ball, and 32 teams and fan bases that have hope of a playoff berth at this ear…

ESPN reported that Telvin Smith, Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon of the Jacksonville Jaguars did not come out onto the field until after the national anthem was over. However, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco said it wasn’t clear if this was done in protest.
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And according to USA Today, Seattle Seahawks players Quinton Jefferson, Branden Jackson and Duane Brown also did not come out onto the field until after the anthem played.

It was not immediately clear how many players from the 12 games played Thursday night protested during the anthem.

In May, the NFL banned kneeling during the national anthem, but said it will allow players to remain in the locker room in protest during the singing of the anthem. On July 10, the NFL Players Association filed a grievance, saying in a statement that the policy was “inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement and infringes on player rights.”

The day after the Philadelphia Eagles were scheduled to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LII victory, the strong safety refused to answer questions from a crowd of reporters and instead held up signs voicing his opinion about the current political climate.

“You aren’t listening,” read one handwritten sign. “More than 60% of people in prison are people of color,” said another.

The media standoff in the Eagles’ locker room during NFL minicamp was prompted by President Trump disinviting the Super Bowl champions to the White House this week, saying it was because the players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.”

On Tuesday, Jenkins hit back at the White House in a long Twitter post, calling the snub a way to “paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag, anti-military” — but he clearly thought his message fell on deaf ears and decided to clarify exactly what players have been protesting.

Jenkins had previously said that he would not attend the traditional visit to meet the president after the Eagles beat the New England Patriots on Feb. 5

He isn’t the only Eagles player to blast the White House’s statement. On Monday, wide receiver Torrey Smith wrote on Twitter that “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

“Last night during our report about the president canceling the Philadelphia Eagles trip to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win, we showed unrelated footage of players kneeling in prayer,” Shannon Bream said on air during her Fox News Channel primetime program Tuesday night.
“To clarify: No members of the team knelt in protest during the national anthem” during the regular season or post-season, she continued, adding, “We sincerely apologize for the error.”…

“Daily Show” host Trevor Noah said he’s “starting to think that President Trump might be full of s—” after his public spat the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Trump disinvited the Super Bowl champs from a traditional post-victory meeting with the president after accusing the team of disagreeing “with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” Trump announced that “a different type of ceremony” would happen instead.

“Huh, that’s weird. Trump is canceling events if a lot of people don’t show up. That must be a new policy,” Noah joked as a photo from Trump’s (relatively) sparsely-attended inauguration appeared onscreen during Tuesday’s episode.

Noah then noted that the Eagles players hardly set a precedent. Last year, Trump abruptly disinvited the Golden State Warriors after Steph Curry said he didn’t want to go. And, Noah added, “the Cleveland Browns released a statement saying that the only reason they’ve never won the Super Bowl is they don’t want to meet Trump. Apparently they’re not losing, they’re #resisting,” Noah quipped, sounding out the word “hashtag.”

President Trump frequently makes a big deal out of how patriotic he is, but how well does he know one of America’s unofficial anthems, “God Bless America?” Turns out not even a little bit.

When Trump on Monday told the the Philadelphia Eagles they were disinvited from the White House party celebrating the team’s recent Super Bowl Victory, he blamed players who “disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” He announced instead that public celebration of patriotism would be held in its place.

But when the event he called “Celebration of America” came, Trump was caught on video mouthing along to “God Bless America,” clearly not knowing any of the lyrics aside from the title.

“Donald Trump sings ‘God Bless America’ like the rest of us sing ‘Despacito,” one person tweeted after video surfaced.

“Cadet Bone Spur can’t remember the Star Spangled Banner or this little patriotic ditty written by Israel Beilin,” said another, referencing both Trump’s reason for not serving in Vietnam and the birth name of songwriting legend Irving Berlin, who wrote the song.

And multitudes of Twitter users noted that the song only has 28 words in it.

NBC News also reported that a man heckled Trump during his remarks, saying, “Stop hiding behind the armed services and the national anthem.” Video and photos also showed that at least one man took a knee during the National Anthem.

There are 28 different words in “God Bless America” and the only word that is more than two syllables is “America.” We’re discussing a grown man’s ability to remember the nationalist version of a song for toddlers. What a world.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has released a sharply worded statement in response to President Trump disinviting the team to visit the White House. The Super Bowl LII champions had been originally scheduled to meet the president on Tuesday to celebrate their victory over the New England Patriots last February.

In a Twitter post Tuesday, Jenkins wrote in length of the players’ plight, defended what they’ve done for their local community and hit back at the White House, calling the snub a way to “paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag, anti-military.”

Praising his teammates, in particular defensive end Chris Long who donated his entire 2017 salary to charity, Jenkins said they’ve “fed the hungry, we’ve mentored our youth, we’ve fought to create opportunities for communities and individuals who have been disenfranchised, we’ve given scholarships and the list goes on.”

“We’ve done all of this while climbing to the win the highest esteem in our profession. We are athletes, but as citizens, we are doing everything in our power to make our communities better. That is the hard, but, right thing to do,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said.

In a statement released Monday, Trump said that he was rescinding the invitation because the Eagles players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.” Jenkins said in his post that Trump’s claim that his teammates refused to stand is false, as “zero” Philadelphia Eagles players knelt during the anthem last season.

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the White House statement continued. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

The cancellation came after several players — including Jenkins and Long — said that they would not visit the White House following the team’s championship.

Jenkins isn’t the only Eagles player to blast the White House’s decision. On Monday, wide receiver Torrey Smith wrote on Twitter that “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

LeBron James had strong words in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to un-invite the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to the White House on Tuesday.

“It’s typical of him. I’m not surprised,” the Cavaliers forward said during a press conference on Tuesday. “I know no matter who wins this series, no one wants to get invited anyways, so it won’t be Golden State or Cleveland going.”

In a statement released on Monday, Trump said that he’s rescinding his invitation because Eagles players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.”

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the WhiteHouse with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the statement read. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

The cancellation came after several players — including Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.

James, who has never been shy about his feeling towards Trump, went in further, saying that as long as he resides in the White House, dust-ups between the president and professional sports teams will continue to happen. Last year, the Warriors collectively decided not to visit the White House, which caused Trump to later “un-invite” them as well.

“It’s a lot of things that we believe in as Americans that we don’t feel that he’s for,” James continued. “There’s a lot of people that believe that he’s not for the people or doing right by the people.”

He concluded by saying that the people of Philadelphia shouldn’t let this take away from the team’s first ever Super Bowl title. “Let’s not let someone uninviting you to their house take away from that moment,” he said, adding winning a title is “way bigger than getting invited to the White House, especially with him in there.”

Moments after James left the podium, Warriors’ star Steph Curry shared the same sentiment as his rival.

Steph Curry on Trump-Eagles: “Not surprising.” On LeBron’s statement that neither team would accept a White House invitation. “I agree with Bron.”

Just hours before President Donald Trump presides over the White House’s inaugural ‘No Escaping To Locker Room!” Philly Eagles-Free Super Bowl Celebration, the Trump’s White House felt the need to issue a statement, mopping up a…

President Donald Trump continued to declare victory the morning after announcing he had uninvited Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles from the White House after all but a handful of them had declined to attend the annual event.
Via Twitter this morn…

After President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from visiting the White House on Tuesday, wide receiver Torrey Smith called the recall “a cowardly act.”

“There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go,” Smith wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon. “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

The Super Bowl-winning wide receiver was reacting to Trump’s announcement earlier in the day that the “Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the WhiteHouse with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

In a string of tweets in response, Smith said: “So many lies smh Here are some facts 1. Not many people were going to go 2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem 3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military.”

He also replied to one commentator he said that players had no business being honored if they refuse to stand for the national anthem by saying: “If you are going to tweet…tweet facts…no one on the Eagles took a knee last season……….”

A trip to meet with the current president is part of the traditional honor for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The sudden cancellation of this week’s ceremony came after several other players — including Smith, Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — had said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.

So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE

There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go. It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish

The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will not attend the White House for the annual visit of the NFL’s title-winning team. The news came amid uncertainty about just how many Eagles players would attend the ceremony, the first such event si…

Trump has disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from visiting the White House on Tuesday. A trip to meet with the current president is part of the traditional honor for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

In a statement released Monday, the POTUS said that he’s rescinding the invitation because the Eagles players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.”

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the WhiteHouse with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the statement read. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

The cancellation came after several players — including Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — had said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.

The White House announcement went on to say that the fans who were scheduled to attend are still invited to a “different type of ceremony,” which according to the statement will “honor our great country.”

“The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the WhiteHouse to be part of a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem. I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America,” the statement from Trump read.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett has been indicted by a Texas jury after allegedly injuring a woman at Super Bowl LI in Houston last year.

Bennett, 32, faces a felony charge of injury of the elderly after allegedly shoving a 66-year-old paraplegic woman while attempting to run out onto the field to congratulate his brother, then-New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett.

According to a statement from the Harris County District Attorney in Houston, Bennett was told by NRG Stadium employees to use a different entrance to the field, but pushed past them anyway.

The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

“We are aware of the situation involving Michael Bennett and are in the process of gathering more information. Because this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time,” a spokesperson for current Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, told TheWrap.

Bennett previously made headlines with a different off-the-field incident last fall, when he shared a tweet saying he was racially profiled and harassed by Las Vegas police officers who threatened to “blow my f—ing head off.”